“Further down the line, I hope to qualify as a solicitor. Working in a team that focuses on civil liberties or criminal injury cases. Where possible, I would want to work towards being part of a firm that greatly caters to LGBTQ+ individuals and their concerns.”
Ralph Gutierrez, LLB Law, 2023
In this article we meet Ralph Gutierrez who has just graduated with a degree in Law. Ralph benefited from the University of Hull’s mentoring scheme, putting alumni and other volunteers working across a variety of job roles, industries and sectors, in touch with students.
The programme connects our students to mentors for career insight, advice and tips for success. It has benefited our students by expanding their knowledge within career areas of interest to them, increasing confidence and preparing them for the challenges of securing employment.
Below, you can find out how the mentor programme supported Ralph.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I was an international student from the Philippines who is aspiring to join the legal industry. I came to study an LLB in Law after an internship in a London legal firm where I fell in love with the work ethic, culture and environment that Britain has. It was at that point that I knew what direction I wanted to take my career and life. After having done my research and looking into the institutions that would best fit my goals and person, I decided to attend Hull. An institution that not only held a great track record for developing young minds that were ready to join the working world, but also took great care of their students’ wellbeing. Now that I’ve graduated, I can confidently say that I wasn’t wrong. Coming to Hull was the best decision that I made for myself and my future.
What line of work are you interested in going to?
Further down the line, I hope to qualify as a solicitor. Working in a team that focuses on civil liberties or criminal injury cases. Where possible, I would want to work towards being part of a firm that greatly caters to LGBTQ+ individuals and their concerns.
How did you get involved in the mentoring programme?
I believe that the first time I heard about the mentoring program was through a circulated email. In law, one of the skills that we are always told to develop is networking. Having read that I would be paired up with an industry expert made this opportunity one that I could not miss. My career would be greatly benefited through this. (I was not wrong in the slightest.) So, I put in my application, and the rest was history.
What has your experience of the mentoring programme been?
The program was an opportunity and is a milestone that I won’t soon forget. The application process was great in that the pairing with my mentor was tailored based on who I was, my interests and my goals. After that, the programme itself was beyond helpful in that it briefed me on how I can make best use of this experience and get the most out of it. While I know I would have put 110% into it regardless, I was thankful for the fact that the programme team had laid down the foundations for how I can concretely achieve what I set out to do, which was to better myself as an aspiring solicitor. Throughout the whole duration of the programme, I received continued support and guidance from the team. No words can say how appreciative I am for all the effort they have put in towards making this opportunity possible and for making this an enjoyable and greatly informative experience.
What were your meetings with your mentor like?
The meetings with my mentor, Lauren Dale, were productive and always goal driven. We would talk about my career path, how I was doing at University and what I needed help with. Before I joined the programme, I believed that I had a relatively good CV. When I ran this through Lauren, however, she just made everything much better with all her suggestions and comments. Lauren always made sure that I had the help that I needed whether I knew what it was that I wanted to work on or not, and I am thankful for her guidance. At one point, when I was applying for a job, she even offered to do a mock interview for me, which I never thought to ask about. She also gave me a deeper insight into the actual workings of the legal industry and what to expect and prepare for in the future. Beyond this, I will never forget the opportunity that she opened up for me this year. She arranged for me to have work experience at her firm, Hudgell Solicitors. This was an unforgettable experience that I would not trade for anything. In my time with Hudgell Solicitors, I was able to work in a whole slew of different departments from clinical negligence to civil liberties, which I am greatly interested in. In that time, I met great people who made me feel welcome and gave me great advice and insight on how it was for them going through what I was then as an intern and what I should look forward to down the line. My internship with Lauren snowballed my growth as a professional and opened up a lot of doors for me. Meeting Lauren helped me out in more ways than I can count.
Why would you recommend to someone that they get involved and become a mentor?
I would not know how it actually is for my mentor, Lauren, but I can imagine it’s a really fulfilling experience. Every student always struggles with the idea of what they will be doing past university and how they can make their dreams into reality. Mentors get to take on a guidance role where they are able to help the next generation take further steps into their careers past university. In addition to this, mentors get the benefit and privilege of being able to help out the next generation of individuals who will be working and running their industry. It is an opportunity that benefits both sides in that mentees get to learn from mentors and mentors get to connect with the future of their industry and, not only peek into what it holds, but help shape it.
University of Hull Alumni Association 